Investigation of Some Pollution Parameters in Water and Sediment Samples Collected From the Lower Gediz River Basin

The River Gediz, is the second greatest river of Aegean Region, is under threat of pollution caused by institutions of region, domestic waste, agricultural chemicals and artificial fertilizers. All kinds of substances which are above standardized limit values for water can make pollution. These pollutant levels could determine water usage aims. Heavy metals in trace level are the most hazardous of these matters. In our study, the physical and chemical parameters of water and the level of heavy metal concentration in water and sediment samples are analyzed in five different stations of Gediz River. The average level of some parameters are; BOD: 67.7 mg/L, COD: 88.7 mg/L, pH: 7.6, turbidity: 440 mg/L SiO(2). In water samples, the metals in high level are; Pb: 27.0+/-%0.8 mu g/L at Nif River, Cr: 48.9+/-%0.9 mu g/L at Muradiye Bridge, Cd: 12.1+/-%0.6 mu g/L at Istanbul Bridge, Cu: 90.2+/-%0.4 mu g/L at Muradiye Bridge, Ni: 309.8+/-%0.7 mu g/L, Fe: 914.1+/-%0.3 mu g/L, Zn: 208.3+/-%0.5 mu g/L in Karacay. The quality of water is at the level of four, according to Water Pollution Control Regulations. The sediment and soil samples taken from different station were also compared. It is seen that, the organic matter which is accumulated at the bottom of the river, increase the concentration of the metals